Saturday, December 28, 2013

“We're
talking about principles of Package delivery systems that have been around
since the time of King Arthur. That guy knew something about keeping precious
cargo safe.”

Groupon's SVP of
innovations, Everett Weiss on Groupon’s response in a YouTube Video to Amazon
PrimeAir to use Catapults

Groupon
has come out of their corner swinging with a humorous response to Amazon’s plan
to deliver Packages to Amazon Prime subscribers within 30 minutes using their
own Drone fleet, PrimeAir. Their answer, which involves the use Catapults as
noted in the article “Groupon's
brilliant response to Amazon's Drones: Catapults”,
published December 11, 2013 10:56 AM PST by Chris Matyszczyk, CNET News,
albeit meant in jest, can actually be practically implemented, as this article
will attempt to demonstrate.

So how would Groupon’s idea work,
assuming it wasn’t a joke and it could be practically implemented? Using
technology that’s no different than what’s already in use by NASA (National
Aeronautical Space Administration)!

How it could work is quite simple.
Instead of firing the Package via a real Catapult, Groupon would have to develop
small cannon that are designed to be calibrated to launch Packages at a certain
angle and velocity to reach the target.

Groupon’s
NOC (Network Operation Center) would house their Automated Catapult System that would control the Catapult and
receiving real-time TelemetryData from the Package mid-flight. Groupon would
also have installed an array of Digital Barometers, Anemometer and Rain Gauges
that would be deployed through the area surrounding Groupon’s Delivery area
around its Package Distribution Centers to communicate Real-time weather Data
to Groupon’s NOC where the Automated Catapult System is housed.

The
process of delivery via Catapult would work as follows. A Customer on Groupon’s
website would order their Package via the Internet on their Laptop, smartphone
or Tablet. At the point of ordering, they’d specify where they want to deliver
the Package, keeping in mind the main criteria, that being that the delivery
zone has to be somewhere theCustomer is standing or where they actually live
and their delivery area must be outside. Also, once ordered, they cannot reject
the delivery mid-flight; that they could only do once the package has landed!

To
ensure a safe delivery, based on the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) on the
Tablet or smartphone, the Automated Catapult Systemhas to log a flight plan for
the Package with the FAA for their approval. Obstacles in the flight path
during the logging of the flight plan can be determined via a combination of
the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) on the Tablet or smartphone combined
with Google Maps Data.

The
item to be delivered would be placed inside of a Capsule made of an
aerodynamically cushioned material that’s waterproof and can protect breakable
cargo if it fell from a 20 story vertical drop. The Capsule would have a Microcontroller
computer that would have the following sensors:

1.GPS

2.Altimeter

3.Accelerometer

4.Magnetometer
or Gyroscope

5.Barometer

6.Proximity
Sensor

7.Cameras

This
Microcontroller Package on the Capsulewould communicate TelemetryData via 4G
LTE (Long Term Evolution) or via a local Telecom Provider’s GSM (Global System
Mobile) EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) Data Network back to Groupon’s
NOC to their Automated Catapult System.

This
microcontroller Package would not only communicate TelemetryData back to the
Automated Catapult System but it would also allow for mid-flight corrections
using a combination of mini parachutes or small jets built onto the Capsule.
The Automated Catapult System would calculate the flight path and launch the Capsule
with the Package inside based on its weight.

The
Automated Capsule System would also use real-time Weather Data supplied by a
Network of remotely connected array
of Barometers, Anemometer and Rain Gauges that would communicate Real-time
weather Data to the Automated Capsule System and relay that info to the Capsule’s
onboard Microcontroller.

Once the Package is launched an airborneen route, Groupon would advise the Customer
of the TOF (Time of Flight) and given an ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival), which
should be a matter of minutes. The Customer would also be advised not to move
but to stay perfectly still as at TOF, the Package would have been launched and
be in flight.

The Customer’s smartphone or Tablet
would also alert them that the Package is on its way and tell them what
direction to look in order to visually confirm its arrival. In addition to all
this, the Capsule will be fitter with an audible whistle as well as a proximity
alert whistle that would send the whistle ton to the Customer smartphone or
tablet advising them that the Capsule is close to making a landing.

As the Package is in flight,
mid-course corrections are made using small jets located on the outside of the Capsule
to make sure it’s heading towards the Customer and will land at least within a
5 meter square area around the Customer. Once close enough to the Customer, the
Capsule will deploy a special braking parachute to reduce its velocity. No
different from how NASA would deliver a Robotic payload on Mars!

Once within visual range of the Capsule,
based on the Capsule’s onboard GPS and proximity sensors it’ll eventually
deploy a parachute to gently guide the parachute towards the Customer or where
they live, using adjustments to the parachute as well as small jets to nail the
landing in the designated drop zone without a hard impact.

Albeit Groupon’s response was done
as a gag, it does have serious application in real life, if not in Package
delivery as the FAA may not approve of what’s effectively launching a missile.
But launching a Package this way is no different from launching a Drone, as Drones
are usually launched from Aircraft Carriers using a Catapult.

This is basically the same idea of a
Drone, just that instead of being able to fly on its own power, it’s being
given the energy to fly via being launched by a large cannon or Catapult. It
merely makes mid-flight corrections in order to safely reach its target, with
the option to then glide to Customers house on final approach or land if the
onboard sensors detect that it can make a splashdown in water i.e. the Customer’s
swimming pool or in a body of water.

This method of delivery would be
suitable for long range rapid transit deliveries outside of a 10km range and
would make deliveries to persons living in remote towns up to 100 km away
feasible. Best of all, once the Package makes its delivery and the Customer is
satisfied that their Package within the Capsule suffered no damage during delivery;
the Customer can send it back via the use of a RMA (Return Mailing Address)
Sticker.The Customerwould place the RMA
Sticker onto the Capsule and have mailed back via UPS or FedEx to Groupon’s
Headquarters for Testing……and relaunch.

Dr.
Henry Lowe and his wife launched the company with the stated purpose of
extracting the active ingredients from Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) for medicinal uses.

His
company name and logo were jointly unveiled by himself and his wife Janet Lowe
at the Eden Gardens Restaurant on Tuesday December 3rd 2013. Along
with the unveiling was the company’s intention to develop the medicinal uses of
Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa),
specifically:

1.Extraction
of the other active ingredients in Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa), including THC (Tetra Hydro Cannabinol)

2.Development
of Products from Hemp, the Male version of the plant which has no active THC
for use in a variety of medicinal and commercially viable products

3.Development
of a strain of the female version of the plant Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) for research purposes that has a lower THC Content.

It’s
good to note here that the Marijuana (Cannabis
Sativa) plant, like most plant, has a male and female version. It’s the
female version that has gained notoriety over the years for its use in smoking
and making Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa)
laced cookies and cakes. The Male version can be used to make fabric, rope, canvas, wax, and
paper, with the seeds being used to extract protein rich oils as well as to be
made into butter and a highly efficient fuel for Motor Vehicles.

One (1) acre of Hemp can grow enough
material equivalent to make the same amount of paper as 10 acres of Trees, a
lifesaver for Forests that are experiencing deforestation as well as a chance
for Jamaica to develop its own Paper Industry instead of using imported paper.
Hemp can even be used to make Motor Vehicles Varnishes and even the vehicle
itself as the Canadian Government has already done!

Dr.
Lowe also mentioned some interesting stats about the Medical Marijuana industry
in Jamaica. At the Eden Gardens launch, he made reference to a recent Don
Anderson poll as per the article “Ganja
Medicine”, published Friday, November 29, 2013 BY BALFORD HENRY Senior staff reporter,
The Jamaica Observer that
indicates that 87% of Jamaican are indeed in favor of Medical Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa), quote: “Canada’s hemp
industry values US$2 billion yearly. A recent survey by Don Anderson said 87
per cent of Jamaicans want medical ganja to be developed......Jamaicans don’t
only want it to be developed, they want the Government to get behind it and
make it happen,”.

It’s
also high time that further research and application of the medicinal benefits
of Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) were
explored in Jamaica to pick up on the work of Jamaican pharmacologist,
Professor Manley West and ophthalmologist, Dr. Albert Lockhart, whose
pioneering work on Marijuana (Cannabis
Sativa) was used to develop Canasol, a glaucoma Treatment, the first of its
kind in the world back then in the late 80’s as stated in the article “Ganja-based eyedrops a hot sell”, published
Sunday August 24, 2003 by Teino Evans, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner!

The coming push for Decriminalization and the eventual Legalization
of Marijuana (Cannabis
Sativa) needs to make a distinction between the male and the
Female plant, as the male plant, Hemp, is currently illegal yet cannot be
smoked like the female plant. The JCF (Jamaican Constabulary Force) aka the
Jamaican Police need to be empowered with the ability to tell the difference
between the two should they encounter them in the field.It should have long ago be made legal so as to be useful
in manufacturing to makefabric,
rope, canvas, wax, and paper, jump-starting local manufacturing industries in
these areas in Jamaica! After all, we already have a BTA (Bilateral Trade
Agreement) with Switzerland to protect the Trade name and Geographical
indicators associated with “Hemp”, “Marijuana” and “Cannabis Sativa” as stated
in my blog article entitled “Jamaica
and Switzerland sign historic Bilateral Trade Agreement to protect Brand Names
and Geographical Indicators - Escape Plan for the eventual Decriminalization
and Legalization of Ganja”.

After the Decriminalization and the eventual Legalization of Marijuana
(Cannabis Sativa), exploiting the resources should be
our next step; Legalizing Hemp should be our initial step to developing both a
Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical Industry in Jamaica!

Get your Spanish in Gear, as it’s in Spanish albeit English dubs are
available! A Spanish language Cartoon would explain why Reel Rock GSW original contract is
with Imira Entertainment of Spain for Season 2 of the “Lucky Fred” Cartoon series is really a 5
way split between five countries:

1.Ireland

2.Italy

3.Jamaica

4.Luxembourg

5.Spain

The series, once produced and finished on time, is slated for
distribution to almost 160 territories in Europe, Asia, South America and
Australia where The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon hold sway. They've quietly
achieve something many Jamaicans though impossible; a solid Contract for a globally
branded Cartoon!

Now all they have to do is ramp up. Therein, like Tessanne Chin's
Contract with Universal, lies the problem, as the deadline for the completed Animation
project to be handed over is fast approaching. They've got a few Inner-city
trained Animators, but more are needed as the total estimated for the
successful completion of the project is about eighty (80) Animators!

GOJ’s tapping into Animation
big time – Luck Fred is the Jimmy Neutron of the Spanish world

The Projects kicks off in March 2014. Until then Reel Rock GSW needs to get some eighty
(80) plus trained Animators and storyboard illustrators draw from all walks of
life. It’ll be interesting to see the credits mention Reel Rock GSW when the “Lucky Fred” Project is completed! Stay
tuned to my blog for more details!

Friday, December 27, 2013

“It's pretty amazing we have only been open in Jamaica for about three to
four weeks ...and part of that of course is training and in just a few hours on
the phone for the first couple of weeks. But as we listened to the calls they
are very professional they sound like people who have been with us for many
years. And it comes across extremely well”

Bookit.com founder and CEO Bud
Finlaw in an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday, December 18th,
2013

Well Mobay people I’ve been keeping track of Convergyns and no new word
on when they’ll come to Jamaica. However, I do have intel on a new Call Center called
Bookit.com which ironically is related DIRECTLY to what Mobay does best that
being tourism as stated in “Large
online travel agency sets up MoBay call centre”, published Wednesday,
December 18, 2013 BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter MONTEGO BAY, St
James, The Jamaica Observer.

Bookit.com, one of the largest Online Travel Booking Agencies in North
America, started in November 2013 with 50 agents in the Teleperformance Centre
in Montego Bay and is now Growing Strong like House Tyrell from Game of
Thrones. The Online Travel Booking Industry is always growing and the means by
which potential Travelers search for, access and make bookings has evolved beyond
Laptop and PC’s to also include Tablets and smartphones.

This has fueled a desire to increase their market share to get more out
of this ever-growing and rapidly expanding Industry in 2014. In anticipation of
this, the BPIAJ (Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica) has
partnered with the HEART Trust/NTA to train the 3000 plus workers needed to
keep up with the demands of the rapidly growing BPO (Business Process Outsourcing)
in Jamaica, which is expected to grow by some 25% this year as noted in the
article “BPO
Sector Set To Surge 25% - BPIAJ”, Published Friday July 5, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner and “HEART/NTA,
BPIAJ sign MOU on IT training programme”, published Sunday, June 16, 2013
4:54 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

The BPIAJ (Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica),
anticipating this increased interest in the Call Center World, has put in place
plans for a US$900,000 incubator to facilitate local Jamaica businesses that
wish to get into the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) Game to rent a few
seats for their accounts as described in “Big
boost!”, published Thursday, November 28, 2013 BY MARK CUMMINGS Editor-at-Large,
Western Bureau, The Jamaica
Observer.

Chairman of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ),
Yoni Epstein explains his intent best, quote: “This incubator will help put the
already available call centre space into the market where existing growing
players that may have a fast ramp-up can rent the space for a short-term
period, while it builds out somewhere else, or in a situation where a new
entrant is coming in and wants to ramp up quickly and test the market, they can
rent space in this facility for a short period of time while it builds out a
space. It will be a revolving door with either persons renting small portions
of it, or the entire space for a short period of time”.

So if you in interested in the Online Travel Booking Industry, now’s the
time to get in. Best of all, the BPIAJ may be able to facilitate your interest
in the Call Center World by renting you space while you hunt for more permanent
facilities.

Growth means more Seats for
Bookit.com – 200+ CSA needed in 2014

Growth is on the horizon for this account as they’ve made projections for
more seats by early 2014 as per the statement by Bookit.com founder and CEO Bud
Finlaw, quote: “We are starting with 50 people as we speak right now which will
double in the next two or three weeks and probably double again with the
success of this venture. We are going to be celebrating our 10th anniversary in
the year 2014 and part of our growth is to expand and we chose Jamaica as the place
to open up our new call centre. We looked to quite a few places. Jamaica was
one of many choices that we had but when the decision time came we found out
that really we had our heart here”.

So how much growth is coming in Bookit.com, to break down all this talk
into practical terms that appeal to potential employees in the Call Center
World? About 200 CSA’s according to Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr.
Wykeham McNeil, quote: “They are going to employ about 200 people in the short
term. It’s good for Jamaica, it's going to have Jamaicans on the call centres.
The positive of that also is that when they are answering the phone they will
be speaking about Jamaica with passion, they will speak about Jamaica with a
knowledge of what is Jamaica, while being able to do the rest of the world”

Folks in Mobay, start making enquiries with regards to work in the Teleperformance
Centre in the Montego Bay FreeZone as you may be able to secure one of 200 plus
jobs that are bound to come on-stream as the Call Center World Expands. When I
get wind of any news relating to Convergyns, I’ll be sure to post it!

Thursday, December 26, 2013

“Some of the most easily detected neural patterns are: 'I'm tired', 'I'm
curious who that is' and 'I'm excited. To be completely honest, the first
version will be quite rudimentary. But hey, the first computer was pretty
crappy too”

Swedish research lab NSID (Nordic
Society for Invention and Discovery) comments on their IndieGogo Page about No
More Woof

Now it look like talking to Animals or at least Dogs may soon be
possible. No I’m not barking up the wrong tree with this one folks; this is for
real!

This bit of coming innovation for the New Year is thanks to a very
innovative application of EEG (Electro-Encephalography) developed by yet
another IndieGogo funded start-up, Swedish research lab NSID (Nordic Society
for Invention and Discovery) called No More Woof as
stated in “No
More Woof reads dog brainwaves, translates to speech”, published December
18, 2013 12:00 PM PST by Amanda Kooser, CNET
News.

For those of you who don’t know the Muse Mind Controller I’m not
surprised; it’s rated as a great party item to have along with Tailly the Wearable
Tail in my Geezam blog article entitled “Interaxion’s
Muse Mind Controller and Tailly the Wearable Tail”. It hasn’t receive
serious attention from developers though, which may explain any lack of news if
you Google “Muse Mind Controller”.

Effectively, it translates your Dog’s state of mind i.e. if he’s happy,
if he’s sad, if he’s curious about a stranger. I say “state of mind” as still
debatable whether or not animals even have thoughts like we humans do or if
it’s a case that they’re just preprogrammed creatures that work on instinct,
memory and inputs from their very acute physics senses.

The researchers at NSID plan to enable the No More Woof Project
with more “Dog Thoughts” and thus more phrases that the device can speak to
express the Gog’s state of mind. Whether or not this’ll lead to better
communications between Man and Dog remains to be seen.

Human to Animal Communications
is inevitable – Apple should buy NSID and Interaxion

Talking to Animals was an inevitable step that would make Mind Controller
Peripherals for computers appealing. After all, we already have a myriad of
innovative cutting edge ways to interact with Computers from Gestures to NL
Voice Commands.

So it’s only natural that once we’ve begun talking to computers, we’d be
more interested in using these talking computers to not only talk to other
people who are disabled and cannot talk but to our furry four footed creatures
that can’t talk at all.

The difference here though between the Muse Mind Controller and the No More Woof Project
is that it’s aimed at two (2) totally different audiences. The No More Woof Project
is aimed at enable people who speak NL (Natural Languages) such as English Mandarin,
French and Spanish to understand what Dogs are feeling.

This by converting the universal language of your Dog Brain’s EEG’s via
attached sensors and a Raspberry Pi Microcontroller into phrases that are
enunciated by a Speaker attached to the wearable head unit as shown.

Effectively, it translates your Dog’s state of mind i.e. if he’s happy,
if he’s sad, if he’s curious about a stranger. I say “state of mind” as still
debatable whether or not animals even have thoughts like we humans do or if
it’s a case that they’re just preprogrammed creatures that work on instinct,
memory and inputs from their very acute physics senses.

The researchers at NSID plan to enable the No More Woof Project
with more “Dog Thoughts” and thus more phrases that the device can speak to
express the Gog’s state of mind. Whether or not this’ll lead to better
communications between Man and Dog remains to be seen.

Human to Animal Communications
is inevitable – Apple should buy NSID and Interaxion

Talking to Animals was an inevitable step that would make Mind Controller
Peripherals for computers appealing. After all, we already have a myriad of
innovative cutting edge ways to interact with Computers from Gestures to NL
Voice Commands.

So it’s only natural that once we’ve begun talking to computers, we’d be
more interested in using these talking computers to not only talk to other
people who are disabled and cannot talk but to our furry four footed creatures
that can’t talk at all.

The easiest way to do that is by buying Interaxion and NSID with a bid to
integrate their products not into Apple gadgets but also develop a new line of
products geared at communicating not only with Dogs but All Animals, Cats
included. Cat and Dog lovers are bound to give this two (2) paws up, as this
would finally bridge the gap between Man Machine and Animal Kind!

So I was expecting that they’d be more news on the progress of this
plant. Reason being as it holds such great potential in reviving the Bauxite
Industry via the re-utilization of the Red Mud from the RDA (Residue Disposal
Area).

But even more precious to Jamaica would be the development of our own
manufacturing industries based on the usage of some of these Rare Earth Metals
such as making Laptop Batteries and even LED (Light Emitting Diodes) for
Lighting purposes as noted in the article “Let
there be LEDs”, published Wednesday, May 23, 2012 BY NEKIESHA REID Business
reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

This, albeit an extension of diplomatic ties with Cuba, is really
a backward step and may amount to nothing more than Cuba Dumping Fluorescent
bulbs on Jamaica in exchange for Tungsten mineral extracted from Incandescent bulbs.

Jamaica should be focused in banning the importation of Incandescent
bulbs and the developement of the manufacturing, production and export of LED Lights in Jamaica as the US of A is planning to do by Wednesday January 1st
2014 as stated in the article “US
to phase-out 40w and 60w incandescent lightbulbs on Jan. 1”, published
December 27, 2013 By Andrew Couts, DigitalTrends.

Failing that, I myself might have to make a visit to the JBI (Jamaica
Bauxite Institute) and ask for a guided tour of the Rare Earth Pilot Plant and
possibly take a few pictures for an exclusive on my blog!